Bill Belichick, Dan Koppen show up at Lebanon Middle School

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on May 12, 2010, 11:15 PM EDT

We mentioned last week that the Patriots had an opportunity to score some major P.R. points in the wake of the misunderstanding at Lebanon Middle School in Connecticut, which through no fault of the Patriots resulted in a mistaken belief that a member of the team would be showing up.

And the Patriots did just that on Wednesday.

Coach Bill Belichick and offensive lineman Dan Koppen made the trip to the school, at the suggestion of owner Robert Kraft. A video of the visit appears at the team’s website.

We’ve got to give the Pats credit. It wasn’t their mess, but they cleaned it up in a big way. Well done.

96 Responses to “Bill Belichick, Dan Koppen show up at Lebanon Middle School”

AxlTCU says:May 12, 2010 11:20 PM

let the same old tired pats bashing begin!!!

ethan robert says:May 12, 2010 11:20 PM

Things were going smashingly until Belichek got irritated and pushed a couple kids down the stairs.

rhetoric says:May 12, 2010 11:22 PM

wtf @ Belichick smiling. I’m confused. He’s human?

Bitter says:May 12, 2010 11:23 PM

Classy, just like this entire organization. I am proud to be a Patriots fan.

NYMets says:May 12, 2010 11:24 PM

Bill is actually a wonderful man when he’s not cheating, committing adultery, smashing a camera to the ground or stealing two million dollars from Leon Hess.

ItalianArmyGuy says:May 12, 2010 11:27 PM

Did Belicheat teach them that “its only cheating if you get caught”?
Did he quote Earl Weaver – “If you know how to cheat, start now”?

Richm2256 says:May 12, 2010 11:28 PM

And all the jack-ass “haters” that piled on the Pats when the story first broke, where are they with the mea culpas now?

smo05d says:May 12, 2010 11:35 PM

Completely classly.
(I still hate them though lol)

Big M says:May 12, 2010 11:37 PM

“How can I reeeach these keeeedz?!”

ArtModellsPimp says:May 12, 2010 11:42 PM

I don’t give a damn about the Pats, but I have to give them their props on this one.
Class move. Nice job…

nateman32 says:May 12, 2010 11:45 PM

# ItalianArmyGuy says: May 12, 2010 11:27 PM
Did Belicheat teach them that “its only cheating if you get caught”?
Did he quote Earl Weaver – “If you know how to cheat, start now”?
I’d rather have Belichick teach them to cheat than have Rapistberger corner one the junior high students in a bathroom stall.

Section731 says:May 12, 2010 11:47 PM

Hate the Pats – but have to give them credit here. Classy thing to do.

too lazy to watch the video…. but i gotta know… was he wearing his grey hoodie?

iusedtobeteddybayer says:May 12, 2010 11:52 PM

Did he wear the hoodie? Such class.

stiller43 says:May 12, 2010 11:52 PM

Sorry about them Pens tonight, Florio.
They really pulled a Colts in the playoffs and crapped the bed when it mattered.

Sang says:May 13, 2010 12:01 AM

That was a classy move

Dawn says:May 13, 2010 12:02 AM

ethan robert says:
Things were going smashingly until Belichek got irritated and pushed a couple kids down the stairs.
___________________________________
They deserved it. They wore their Colts jerseys.

EskinSux says:May 13, 2010 12:03 AM

I wonder if Kraft……..That bastion of morality, had them bring that mock stadium he brought to hartford,CT, during the press conference, you know Pats fans, the press conference he had when he threatened to move the team unless he got what he wanted in Foxboro, as a history lesson for the young kids..Also…Did belicheck proclaim………How do i reach these KEEEEEEEDZZZZ…..?……Cue the classy idiots

timegambit says:May 13, 2010 12:03 AM

Sounds like a Seinfeld episode:
Dan Koppen: I’ll give these kids a chance to see a real live Patriot!
Seinfeld: And it’ll give you a chance to see some real disappointed kids.

Bitter says:May 13, 2010 12:12 AM

It really pains me to know how jealous some people are of this franchise. All I hear is wahhh Bellicheat! Wahhhhhhhhh..shut up

dc4545 says:May 13, 2010 12:12 AM

I had never fully understood the actual meaning of the colloquial term “haters” until I read some of these comments. How can anyone have a problem with a famous NFL head coach visiting a local middle school? Not a Pats fan by the way.

JAG880 says:May 13, 2010 12:15 AM

Oh, don’t come on here calling the Pats classy. Any team in the NFL, put in the same situation, would have done the same thing.

LighTsouT says:May 13, 2010 12:16 AM

fyi I’m not a Pats fan.

JAG880 says:May 13, 2010 12:18 AM

What? No cut off sleeves on the suit jacket?

MontyKC says:May 13, 2010 12:18 AM

Oddly enough Josh McDaniels and Tim Tebow showed up at Morey Middle School in Denver. Josh was sent to his 3rd period Social Studies Class. Tim will be playing linebacker for the Mustangs this Thursday.

mcarey032 says:May 13, 2010 12:20 AM

I will say that I am no fan of Belichick and what he did in Spygate incident at all, but I do give credit where it is do. Yes I did make a comment about the Pats because I fully didn’t expect them to clean this mess up, but they did. Kudos and credit to them for doing so. They made some young fans very happy after they were swindled out of some face time. Great job to coach Belichick and the Pats for stepping up. I bet that there are some young Pats fans who are extremely happy that you made their day.

Occam says:May 13, 2010 12:28 AM

“ItalianArmyGuy says:
Did Belicheat teach them that “its only cheating if you get caught”?”
Congratulations! That’s the 10,000,000th time someone has used that line. You win the coveted, “I Can’t Think Of Anything New To Say,” award.
Time to come up with some new material, perhaps?

bonky says:May 13, 2010 12:28 AM

I’m not a Pats fan by any stretch, but recognize a good deed when I see one. Props to everyone involved, well done.

svenhoek says:May 13, 2010 12:32 AM

He used the intern to video tape the kids so he could learn their signal movements before he had to go up against them. Bellicheat to the end….

jdw942 says:May 13, 2010 12:45 AM

Do you really think that most teams don’t spy on each other.

Colts18 says:May 13, 2010 12:50 AM

They only care once the media gets involved. If the media didnt make a fuss, they couldnt care less about those kids. If i went to school there, you betch your a$$ i would show up in a peyton manning jersey ala that girl at the colts game where everyone was suprised because colts fans booed

Belichick went to Lebanon? WTF? Sounds dangerous. Was he near Beirut? I only read headlines by the way.

Matt Walsh says:May 13, 2010 1:03 AM

Did anyone capture this on video?
Just curious.

ItalianArmyGuy says:May 13, 2010 1:05 AM

@nateman32 says: May 12, 2010 11:45 PM
I’d rather have Belichick teach them to cheat than have Rapistberger corner one the junior high students in a bathroom stall.
========================
1. You would rather have Belicheat cheat than almost anything in the world, as it fulfills your sense of entitlement to be handed a championship your team did not earn. You should move to Cuba, where Castro’s supporters are handed all kinds of things they did not earn.
2. You can have Roethlisberger if you want him – I wasn’t defending him

Sociofan says:May 13, 2010 1:05 AM

Just to be clear:
“… at the suggestion of owner Robert Kraft. ”
Whatever one might think of the…ummm…staff, the Patriots’ owner is a class guy.
I doubt that “hoodie” would have come up with this on his own even if there were 50 crying kids in front of him.

The Big Lebowski goes to Lebanon:
Roethlisberger: [spies a man and woman holding hands and cuddling] “Hi cutey, you alone?”
Belichick: “Hey, Ben – uhhh she’s with me. This is Babs”
Roethlisberger: “Oh, hey Bill, I didn’t know you were into fat chicks. I’m not messing with your special lady”
Belichick: “She’s not my special lady, she’s my f***ing lady friend. She’s my assistant coach’s wife. I’m just helping her conceive, man!”
Babs: “Bill!”
Roethlisberger: “Well, send her over to me when you’re done. I’m up for a whale hunt”
Babs: “You two are dumb-a$$es. I’m not interested in either of you. I’m a lesbian.”
Roethlisberger and Belichick together: “Oh really? How are things in Beirut?”

WheelingStiller says:May 13, 2010 2:06 AM

Personally I have a lot of respect for the Belichick and the Pats… Classy move on their part when it was really a non-story and had probably been forgotten by most.
But where is the nausating overdose of opinion and innuendo from Florio that we’re all getting used to… Maybe something like…
“One has to wonder if the Patriots somehow planned the no show to step in and look like heroes. A club couldn’t pay for PR like that.”

Doctor Connors says:May 13, 2010 2:24 AM

Nice to see them visit the kids even though it wasn’t their mess. The jackasses on this board are freaking out trying to figure out to spin this and bash Belichick.
It’s okay, just use the same tired response that you nitwits always use. Cheatriots Belicheat spygate camera Brady gay goat picture shoving cameraman classless handshake 18-1.
Ar hur hur hur. Now go back to screwing your sister.

While I loathe the Pats with every iota of my being. Well done Patriots.
Now back to my regularly scheduled despising.

blackglass says:May 13, 2010 6:10 AM

Philadelphia Phillies*

DonTerrelli says:May 13, 2010 6:38 AM

Good for them, that’s a classy move. Too bad Dreamboat couldn’t make it.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater says:May 13, 2010 6:44 AM

ItalianArmyGuy and Matt Walsh would have showed up as well, but due to Megan’s Law they aren’t allowed within 1,000 yards of a school.

wild_eagle says:May 13, 2010 6:48 AM

Classy.. I have no problems with the pats outside of the spygate crap, even then it doesn’t matter, if a team knows your play you should just exacute it perfectly and get yards anyway..
And yes I feel the pats had an unfair advantage over Philly in that Superbowl but that’s not why we lost, we were within 3 and mcchoke threw an int if I remember correctly

8man says:May 13, 2010 6:54 AM

ItalianArmyGuy says:
May 12, 2010 11:27 PM
Did Belicheat teach them that “its only cheating if you get caught”?
Did he quote Earl Weaver – “If you know how to cheat, start now”?
__________________________________
Hey, you fixed the spelling of “Italian”. Good for you! Now you just need to take care of that U to an A in Guy.
Putz!

ArtModellsPimp says:May 13, 2010 6:58 AM

@JAG880 says:
“Oh, don’t come on here calling the Pats classy. Any team in the NFL, put in the same situation, would have done the same thing.”
—————————————————
Maybe true for 31 teams. But you can’t count on the Steelers to do what’s right..that’s for sure…

DC_Bengals_Fan says:May 13, 2010 7:02 AM

“Is Elena Kagan Lebanese?”
No, all the dykes are in Holland. Duh.

ampats says:May 13, 2010 7:15 AM

Regardless whether you hate the Pats or not, this move shows the class of the organization from Kraft on down.
As someone who has been on this site for many years (before Florio sold out to NBC) I have come to expect stupid comments, usually from the same characters.
As Bitter said above, I’m proud to be a Patriots fan.
As far as the “jerks” who love to post astericks *, I find it entertaining that this is the only site where they exist and in their minds.
Keep posting the astericks because this is the only place to see them, I’m going down to Patriots Place tomorrow to see the three lombardi’s up close and personal again with more Lombardi’s to come in the near future.
Thanks for the positive comments non Patriot fans, it shows not everyone on this site suffers from psychological issues.
Good luck to all and their teams in 2010 ( even the Jests) and lets hope that we will have football in 2011.

RacerX says:May 13, 2010 7:15 AM

when exactly did this site become so caustic and profane? There used to be some pretty witty and incisive reader comments here, but now it’s just a blur of obnoxious and unrelated hate speech. Jeez.
Time to make some changes, Florio. Was this the demo that NBC was seeking?

JimmySmith says:May 13, 2010 7:27 AM

Bill was there because the nerd from the AV dept was sick that day.

bleedsoe9mm says:May 13, 2010 7:29 AM

belicheat just wanted to steal video tape from the school security cameras ….oh wait i’m a pats fan…..SCREW YOU ALL …. GO PATS!

LuvThatDirtyWatah says:May 13, 2010 7:44 AM

Bill is not a heartless robot. He comes off that way b/c of his disdain for the media. If it were up to him he’d play NFL games in empty stadiums and no media.

Bossman says:May 13, 2010 7:46 AM

ItalianArmyGuy,
The guys down the pool room have a picture of your mother hanging on the wall with an article attached. The article shows a picture of her and a Chimp and a story of their conceiving a male, whatever….
Going to the zoo on Father’s day must have been tough for you.

oldschool says:May 13, 2010 7:47 AM

Bob Kraft also gave each kid a coupon for ten percent off in the pro shop{ not valid on game days}……….

smithopher says:May 13, 2010 7:48 AM

They almost had to do this though, they looked like a bunch of morons when they sent an intern. Regardless of what they committed to do up front, the school was let down and Kraft knew that it did NOT look good for their PR. I don’t necessarily want to take anything away from the gesture, cause I know it must be like pulling teeth to get Belichick to step away from game tape and/or sucking on Brady’s manhood, but they needed to save face in this situation if they didn’t want to look like the “evil empire” many football fans see them as these days. They also don’t want to groom young people in New England to hate the Patriots because their school got ripped off one afternoon.

GRpatriot says:May 13, 2010 7:55 AM

So much for redemption? Some of the posters here need to get a life!
BB has always done good things in the community, ask Jim Brown. While Jim chastizes black players for forgetting where they came from. He can count on BB ! That should tell you something!
Notice no Philly references from me.

Ravens sexual assault cases=0 Steelers? says:May 13, 2010 8:07 AM

It can’t be a classy move when they already did something classless to put them in that position.

The Real Shuxion says:May 13, 2010 8:14 AM

# ethan robert says: May 12, 2010 11:20 PM
Things were going smashingly until Belichek got irritated and pushed a couple kids down the stairs.
——————————————————
I am a Pats fan, but that was F-ing brilliant. Well done, that was really funny.

Belichick Is God says:May 13, 2010 8:39 AM

All class, all the time! Well done Bill, and thank you for leading America’s team. Remember, we are all Patriots!

NoRingsForYou says:May 13, 2010 8:56 AM

ItalianArmyGay says:
1. You would rather have Belicheat cheat than almost anything in the world, as it fulfills your sense of entitlement to be handed a championship your team did not earn.
You mean like the Steelers/Refs Super Bowl win over the Seahawks? Or the roid-fueled championships of the 70’s? Steelers fans are the last people who should talk about entitlement. Stick to harboring your rapist QB.

Oye says:May 13, 2010 9:09 AM

@Bossman: Couldn’t have said it better myself.
@ItalianArmyGuy: Why the hate brother? Were you bullied during your childhood? You feel as though posting immature comments about others represents your superiority or worse a way to release your frustration? Two words “GET HELP!” Dude, I picture you as this bald guy with a ½ shirt on, half your belly showing living in your mother’s basement , drinking beer and pulling your pork. I think you hide behind your name because it makes you feel like a tough guy. No self respecting vet (I sure hope you’re not) would post trash day in and day out. Make for better reading brother. Come out the closet and act your age. Not trying to hate on you but dam man your stuff is poison.

PatsFan54 says:May 13, 2010 9:12 AM

# PatsFan54 says: May 5, 2010 6:47 PM
Yes the Pats sent a intern and that was wrong. However there are 2 sides to every story and I know Bob Kraft and the Patriots organization will fix this misunderstanding and make it right. I have every reason as a 20 yr season ticket holder not to trust the Kraft family. Plus it would not be good PR if he does ignore this blunder.
We always hear about the negative with the Patriots and not all the good that the Kraft family has done over the yrs as owners..
***********************************************Now even thought the Pats were not responsible they made it right. If only the other 31 teams in the NFL were like the Patriots. A model organization with a first class owner and a hall of fame head coach plus the best QB of the last 25 yrs.
Great job. They knew this would be a PR opportunity with the off season and Brady claiming the team was soft so this was a feel good story.

HarrisonHits says:May 13, 2010 9:13 AM

“I wonder if Kraft……..That bastion of morality, had them bring that mock stadium he brought to hartford,CT, during the press conference, you know Pats fans, the press conference he had when he threatened to move the team unless he got what he wanted in Foxboro”
@EskinSux
Hey moron, the only thing Kraft got from MA was 50 mil in road improvements. The financed the stadium themselves, unlike virtually every other stadium where the teams extort the money from the cities and states, and then in places like NY rape them with PSLs on top of it.
Kraft has more class in a finger nail then you do in your whole body.

overkil2 says:May 13, 2010 9:17 AM

grats to the Pats for stepping up, but damn, if I’m one of those kids, I want to see Tom Brady or Randy Moss not Dan Koppen.

lurch's nyquil says:May 13, 2010 9:22 AM

The same old Pats bashing????????????? Dude when you get caught cheating of course the bashing will begin and never end. Get used to it. Tom Brady is a cry baby and begs for calls. He is a little girl. His wife straps one on you can believe that.

I didn't hear no bell. says:May 13, 2010 9:41 AM

Hey, how come no one showed me the asterisks? I thought they cheated and all those Lombardi’s were taken away.
Losers.

It puts the lotion on the skin says:May 13, 2010 9:44 AM

RacerX says: May 13, 2010 7:15 AM
when exactly did this site become so caustic and profane? There used to be some pretty witty and incisive reader comments here, but now it’s just a blur of obnoxious and unrelated hate speech. Jeez.
__________________________________
Hahaha, I have been reading this site for a long time, and as the site got more popular by Steelers fans it went down hill, the intelligence dropped dramatically.

it's all bs says:May 13, 2010 9:45 AM

lurch’s nyquil says:
May 13, 2010 9:22 AM
The same old Pats bashing????????????? Dude when you get caught cheating of course the bashing will begin and never end. Get used to it. Tom Brady is a cry baby and begs for calls. He is a little girl. His wife straps one on you can believe that.
______________________
oh for heaven’s sake…I’m no Pat’s fan but this is ridiculous….it pales to some of the crap I’ve written and that’s saying something….where do you all come from?

It puts the lotion on the skin says:May 13, 2010 9:47 AM

# lurch’s nyquil says: May 13, 2010 9:22 AM
The same old Pats bashing????????????? Dude when you get caught cheating of course the bashing will begin and never end. Get used to it. Tom Brady is a cry baby and begs for calls. He is a little girl. His wife straps one on you can believe that.
________________________________
Hahaha, another good one, take some of your own advice, and get used to it. Here is my impression of a Steelers fan
From left side of mouth: “The pats cheat, spygate, video taping, Belicheat, Ray Ray the murderer….”
From right side of mouth: “The Rapistburger comments are so tired, and pathetic, come up with something new”
LMFAO, Pot, meet Kettle……

The Real Shuxion says:May 13, 2010 10:16 AM

RacerX says: May 13, 2010 7:15 AM
when exactly did this site become so caustic and profane? There used to be some pretty witty and incisive reader comments here, but now it’s just a blur of obnoxious and unrelated hate speech. Jeez.
——————————————————
See my comments in the Rosenhaus story. The height of wittiness

cbatchel says:May 13, 2010 10:23 AM

Total PR Stunt, Belicheat and koppen could not care less.

Lucky5927 says:May 13, 2010 10:38 AM

Good move, not great. Most of those kids don’t know who Dan Koppen is. Taking a more well known player like Brady or Moss would have been “Great”. Still a good gesture nonetheless.

The Terminator says:May 13, 2010 10:41 AM

it’s like if your team lost than of course the other team must have cheated, lied, paid off the refs, took roids, and of course it’s always the OTHER QB that sucks, wears a skirt, is gay, lives in his Mom’s basement, is a rapist, etc and no matter what the REAL story is about it will always be about those “OTHER” things to most of the posters here….and I still say GO STEELERS!

jdo says:May 13, 2010 10:43 AM

Still cheaters with tainted titles.

stanjam says:May 13, 2010 10:44 AM

Wow, so many haters absolutely fail to give credit where credit is due.
They still think the Superbowls were not earned, and that is a shame for all the hard working players and coaches. The taping was a gray area at best (read the rules sometime, and tell me that it is clear. I do not hear these same folks say that the Broncos did not earn their championship when they got caught cheating on the salary cap, nor that the Dolphins did not earn their championship or perfect season when they were caught cheating in their attempt to acquire Shula. Just hate for the first dynasty of the 21st century.
Get over it already. The Patriots were that dynasty, and no amount of hatred or wishing will change that. Take all the energy you expend on Patriot hatred and spend it on rooting for your substandard team, which will doubtfully ever be as dominant as the Patriots have been.

foosmom says:May 13, 2010 11:19 AM

If there is one thing you can take away from many of these posts, it’s that haters will never let facts get in the way of their opinion.

Moufootth says:May 13, 2010 11:21 AM

This will sound like a lie, I know, but I teach at the school. There was a miscommunication, the Pats did make good on a promise that they did not make in the first place, and the kids were thrilled. The kids in my grade are wearing their hats today, even the ones who are Giants fans. It was an amazing visit. Belichick was funny and answered questions from the kids. Koppen stayed after to sign over 100 autographs. The mascot and the cheerleader were a huge hit with the kids as well. Best of all, it taught the kids that hard work can pay off and that wrongs do get righted. Thanks to the Pats!

RandySavage says:May 13, 2010 12:15 PM

Oh, the tears and butthurt of the Pats haters continues to sustain me! Keep it up! I may come out of retirement and win another world title at Wrestlemania at this rate! Unfortunately I won’t be able to propose marriage to Miss Liz this time.
In a side note, but more related to the actual story, very classy move by the Pats.

Flying elvis says:May 13, 2010 12:48 PM

I have a question for all you bashers. Why do you hate America?

Kate773 says:May 13, 2010 1:03 PM

There are some very little people that post on this site.
The Patriots did a very classy thing and there are some really sad people who can’t even pull their heads out of their asses long enough to give them an ounce of credit. Its amazing.
They got absolutely ripped here for something that wasn’t their fault, and then when they make it right they still get ripped. Its just sports people. This level of hatred for people you don’t even know is a sign of a severe psychological problem. Get help.

HughJorgan says:May 13, 2010 4:16 PM

Lighten up, fellow Patriots fans. The hatred is a compliment. The Pats have crushed a lot of Super Bowl dreams. People hate the Pats, Steelers, Colts and any other team that wins. Oakland is a laughing stock, the Jets are pathetic (you actually have to win something to be considered good) and who cares about the Lions?

TheWizard says:May 13, 2010 5:09 PM

# Flying elvis says: May 13, 2010 12:48 PM
I have a question for all you bashers. Why do you hate America?
They’re liberals.
Or progressives, as they call themselves now.

@drKennethNoisewater…hey,not only can i not go 1000yds of any school,i’m not allowed near any of my neighbor’s kids
@OYE…actually my uncle used to sit me on his lap and rub lotion all over me while wearing a patriots jersey..i especially like playing tummysticks when i’d sleep over in his trailer.
i recently was let go from my job as BIG BEN’s fluffer and let me tell you they call him big ben for a reason.i was let go because i was a spitter…i also started a petition for the pitt pirates to be named the “butt pirates” and i’d be their mascot.

Bdrunk says:May 14, 2010 11:19 AM

ItalianArmyGuy”.”
heh nice. Isn’t the real poster terrible enough without having to come up with a gimmick account? I mean no help should be needed in picking him apart.
And I’m gonna guess he (the fake IAG) is really….hmmmm, Dr. Noisewater.